Insidious 5: Sequel or Prequel, Where Does the Movie Stand in the Horror Saga?

Warning, this article contains spoilers for the Insidious Saga films.

In 2011, horror fans discovered the Lambert family and their demons in James Wan’s Insidious. Written by Lee Whannell and starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins and Lin Shaye, the film follows Josh, his wife and their three children who have just moved into a new house.

But quickly, Dalton, Sr. falls into an inexplicable coma and a series of paranormal phenomena begins. The medium then reveals to them that their child’s soul is somewhere between life and death, in the astral dimension.

After 12 years, Insidious: The Red Door, the fifth and final film in the franchise, hits our theaters. In this 12 out of 12 rated feature film, Josh and his now-college son Dalton must delve into the far reaches to confront their family’s dark past and the ever-troubling spirits lurking behind the red door.

Over the past decade, the films of the Insidious saga have given audiences plenty of scares and worries. However, like other horror film franchises such as The Conjuring and its spin-offs, the films were not released theatrically in chronological order.

In what order should we watch the Saga films?

If you want to refresh your memory on Insidious: The Red Door in theaters and want to watch the movies in chronological order, follow the guide!

Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)

Released in theaters in 2015, Insidious: Chapter 3 is the first film from the director of the franchise’s previous opus. Lee Whannell. The premise of The Trouble with the Lambert Family, this chapter 3 is by Ellis (Lin Shai), a medium who helps Josh and Dalton in Chapters 1 and 2.

In the film, young Quinn Brenner (Stephanie Scott) is attacked by an evil creature. Sean (Dermot Mulroney), the girl’s father, asks Elise to help them. With the help of two parapsychologists, Tucker (Angus Sampson) and Specs (Lee Whannell), Alice agrees to try to contact the dead. Forced to go deep into the afterlife to protect Quinn, Alice confronts the worst enemy she’s ever faced: a soul-eating demon.

This film allows us to discover the character of Elisha, who will play an important and saving role for the rest of the series, as well as the duo formed by Tucker and Specs.

Insidious 4: The Last Key (2018)

The Last Key by Adam Robitaille delves deep into Ellis’ life and explains how he became a paranormal investigator.

The main story takes place after the events of Chapter 3, although the feature film includes many flashbacks to Medium’s childhood in 1954, allowing viewers to better understand Ellis’ journey. This film is once again a prequel to the Lambert-centric films.

In Insidious: The Last Key, a parapsychologist is faced with the most terrifying and personal case of his history: he must intervene in his childhood home…

The ending of this film makes it possible to connect the two prequels to the main films of the saga, because after defeating Key Face, Alice receives a call from Lorraine Lambert (Barbara Hershey) asking her to help her rescue her grandson Dalton.Ty Simpkins).

Insidious (2011)

The first film in the franchise, insidious from James Wan Takes place after the events of The Last Key.

While Dalton is in a coma, the Lambert family asks Eli for help. This reveals to them that the kid has the power of astral projection and that he is actually trapped in Le Lointain.

Alice reveals to Josh (Patrick Wilson) that the latter has the same abilities as her son, but that his memories have been erased to protect him from the demon that terrorized him as a child.

Josh then moves to Le Lointain and rescues Dalton. But when he returns, Alice realizes that Josh has come back possessed at her expense. The latter, possessed by the Bride in Black, then strangles the medium. Alice dies.

Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)

Two years after Insidious, audiences are finding the Lamberts for a direct sequel to the horror film.

The police investigate Elise’s brutal death, but Josh is acquitted, his wife Renai still has her doubts after seeing a photograph of the bride Elise took before her death.

New paranormal events disrupt family life. So Renai calls on Tucker, Speck and Carl (Steve Coulter), Ellis’ former assistants. Also a medium, the latter will communicate with the spirit of the deceased, who will once again help them in their uncertainty.

This film will give you the answers left in the first opus, namely: what happened to Josh as a child before Alice erased his memory in 1986.

Josh learns about his past and has to return to Le Lointain to get rid of the spirit. The father and son then ask Carl to erase their memories so they can live in peace.

Insidious 5: The Red Door (2023)

In this fifth and final part of the saga, Josh and Dalton have been separated for 10 years. Josh’s mind is clouded and he can no longer communicate with his children or his ex-wife Renais.

After going to university to study painting, Dalton delves into his unconscious and paints the famous red door, opening the door to the spirit world. The two men will have to reunite once again and return to the distant.

The first film in the franchise, directed by Patrick WilsonInsidious: The Red Door It is therefore the last film in the saga in release order, but also in chronological order.

The film, which has all the original cast returning, is now in theaters.